The present invention relates to a new fold-down camper having rigid sidewalls and particularly to a fold-down camper where the sidewall has a section which shifts inwardly to allow the top to lower for storage and transportation.
Many types of commercial and recreational trailers are known. Recreational vehicles, whether self-powered or towed, are popularly used for camping or other recreational purposes. Campers may also be used as temporary shelter in certain business environments. Particularly popular are the fold-down campers which, when erected, provide ample living space for several persons. When not in use the fold-down camper collapses to a much smaller volume for easy transport and storage.
Because of the size and weight constrictions inherent in the design of fold-down campers, many are at least partially constructed from a lightweight, flexible material such as fiberglass and aluminum. In general, a camper may include a rectangular floor enclosed by several walls to form a lower frame which is mounted to a chassis for towing. A removable cap closes the frame and, in a raised position, forms a roof. Interconnecting the frame and the cap typically is a cloth or canvas fabric which forms the walls. The fabric may be supported by rods or poles to conform the fabric to the general dimensions of the camper. When the camper is collapsed, the rods supporting the fabric may be disassembled or folded and stored within the frame. The cap may then be lowered to enclose the frame and ready the camper for transport.
Generally, the fabric walls are not as durable or as effective at withstanding the elements as is a solid, rigid, material. Rain and snow may penetrate the material especially when a fabric, such as canvas, is being used. Fabric also does not provide the same protection against wind as does a sturdy, rigid material. A fold-down camper having solid, rigid sidewalls would more effectively block out unwanted light, wind and rain and is more durable than is a fold-down camper having fabric sidewalls.
Fold-down campers having rigid sidewalls are also easier to clean and maintain than are campers with fabric sidewalls. If a camper having a rigid sidewall needs to be cleaned, it can be sprayed with water and wiped clean. There is no worry of the contents of the camper getting wet or damaged. This is not the case with campers with fabric sidewalls. Moreover, fabric sidewalls may require special maintenance and care to keep clean. Once dirt, dust, mold or mildew get into the fabric, the fabric may need to be removed from the camper and cleaned using special processes.
One camper having fold-down walls available on the market today includes a rectangular frame a few feet in height, and a rigid sidewall which extends upwardly from the frame. The sidewall consists of two equidimensional panels coupled by a horizontally extending hinged seam. When the camper is erected, the two halves meet at the hinged seam to form a generally singular plane. When collapsed, the upper half folds along the hinge through approximately 180 and rests against the bottom half of the sidewall. The lower half of the wall folds into the frame to a substantially horizontal position by pivoting about a hinge within the wall of the frame. This design, when in the stowed position, requires more space than do other fold-down campers. Since the sidewall folds at its midsection, the height of the camper in a closed position includes the height of the base frame as well as twice the thickness of the sidewall. This effectively increases the ground to ceiling height of the camper in a closed position. Because of an increase in the height of the camper, the effective cross-sectional area increases the drag while in transport. A further disadvantage with the sidewall construction in the above camper is that the window structures cannot extend past the midline of the wall, since the hinge interrupts such structures. For example, a window may be placed in the top half of the sidewall, and another window may be placed in the bottom half of the sidewall. No single window extends the entire height of the sidewall. Moreover, the hinge detracts from the aesthetic qualities of the camper.